With recycling rates dipping, Singapore to review masterplan to extend Semakau landfill’s lifespan

He was speaking at Catalyst 2026, an event organised by NEA that was attended by about 300 industry leaders, experts and policymakers in the environmental services sector.

In his speech, Dr Puthucheary cited how Singapore recycling rates have dipped from their 2019 levels. 

Singapore’s overall recycling rate in 2025 was 52 per cent, inching upwards from the 50 per cent in 2024, according to a separate NEA press release on Wednesday.

Nevertheless, the 2025 rate remains below the 59 per cent recorded in 2019, when the masterplan was first launched with the goal to raise Singapore’s overall recycling rate to 70 per cent by 2030. 

The 2019 masterplan also sought to raise the domestic recycling rate from 17 per cent in 2019 to 30 per cent by 2030, as well as to raise the non-domestic recycling rate from 73 to 80 per cent in the same time period.

However, the 2025 domestic recycling rate is 11 per cent – unchanged from 2024, and the non-domestic recycling rate was 67 per cent in 2025, up from 65 per cent in the previous year, according to NEA’s latest data.

Domestic waste refers to waste collected from households and trade premises such as shophouses, hawker centres and educational institutions. Non-domestic waste refers to waste generated at industrial and commercial premises.